Human parvovirus: bocavirus

Abstract

Provided herein are sequences of the genomes and encoded proteins of a new human parvovirus, Bocavirus-2, and variants thereof. Also provided are methods of detecting the Bocavirus-2 and diagnosing Bocavirus-2 infection, methods of treating or preventing Bocavirus-2 infection, and methods for identifying anti-Bocavirus-2 compounds.

Description

RELATED APPLICATION[0001]This application relies for priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) upon U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 61 / 045,926 filed Apr. 17, 2008.GRANT INFORMATION[0002]This invention was made in part with government support under NIH Grant No. R01 HL083254-01A awarded by the National Institutes of Health. The United States government has certain rights in this invention.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0003]The present invention relates generally to the discovery of a new human parvovirus and more specifically, to methods of using the virus including methods of detecting the virus and diagnosing viral infection, methods of treating or preventing virus infection, and methods for identifying anti-viral compounds.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]Parvoviruses are among the smallest DNA-containing viruses that infect animals and man. Parvoviruses range in size from 15 to 28 nm in diameter, lack a lipid membrane (non-enveloped), and contain a single strand of DNA. Parvoviruses are h...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0029]In one embodiment of the invention, there is provided a method for detecting and serotyping Bocavirus in a sample by 1) contacting a first portion of the sample with a first pair of primers in a first amplification protocol, wherein the first pair of primers have an associated first characteristic amplification product if a Bocavirus is present in the sample; 2) determining whether or not the first characteristic amplification product is present; 3) contacting a second portion of the sample with a second pair of primers in a second amplification protocol, wherein the second pair of primers have an associated second characteristic amplification product if a Bocavirus is present in the sample and wherein the second pair of primers are different from the first pair of primers; 4) determining whether or not the second characteristic amplification product is present; 5) based on whether or not the first and second characteristic amplification product are present, selecting one or more subsequent pair of primers and contacting the one or more subsequent pair of primers with additional portions of the sample in subsequent amplification protocols, wherein each subsequent pair of primers is different from each pair of primers already used and wherein each subsequent pair of primers has an associated subsequent characteristic amplification product if a Bocavirus is present in the sample; 6) determining whether or not the associated characteristic amplification product for each subsequent pair of primers used is present; 7) repeating steps 5 and 6 for one or more subsequent pairs of primers if the Bocavirus cannot be serotyped based on the determinations of steps 2, 4, and 6 until the Bocavirus can be serotyped, wherein the one or more subsequent pairs of primers are different from all pairs of primers used in earlier amplification protocols; and determining the serotype or groups of serotypes of the Bocavirus that may be present in the sample. In one aspect, the sample is a biological sample. In another aspect, the sample is whole blood or a fraction thereof, a bronchial wash, cerebrospinal fluid, an eye swab, a conjunctival swab, a swab or scraping from a lesion, a nasopharyngeal swab, an oral or buccal swab, pericardial fluid, a rectal swab, serum, semen, cerebrospinal fluid, sputum, saliva, stool, a stool extract, a throat swab, urine, brain tissue, heart tissue, intestinal tissue, kidney tissue, liver tissue, lung tissue, pancreas tissue, spinal cord tissue, skin tissue, spleen tissue, thymus tissue, cells from a tissue culture, a supernatant from a tissue culture, and tissue from an experimentally infected animal. In one aspect,

Problems solved by technology

As with other parvoviruses, B19 is highly contagious and exhibits high morbidity in affected populations.

Despite the known pathogenicity of parvoviruses and the urgent need for methods to prevent, diagnose and treat parvovirus infections, other divergent human parvoviruses have not yet been identified.

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